[hossbonnam]

Im sick and tired of being stopped at walmart to show my receipt. Its aggravating to search for it especially when I'm dealing with kids running off and getting the baby bundled.

Ive never stolen anything,
But heard that peple have tried to
Take entire buggys full out the doors.

If I just keep walking , can they take legal action against me for any reason.
After all I've paid for the merchandise and have myreceipt. Who is this jag at the door double checking my things because walmart doesn't have bigger bags.

No other store does this to me.
- I get my stuff, got though the line, pay for it, they bag it and give me a recept.
- Then I exit the store right out the door and that's how its always worked since I was young.
- now we have some jerk of a greeter pretendin to be nice all day while checking everyone's receipt that the registar person just checked.
- Its not my fault they put there merchandise on the wrong side of the counter. (how moronic)

Ive been tempted to just keep on walking to my car.
What authority do they have anyway?

I own it now... not walmart.

[RickJ]

Nope, not a crime... but no doubt a time consuming hassle if you do.

Why not just keep the receipt in your hand knowing they'll want to check it. Yes, a small pain in the rump but not nearly as "painful" as being swarmed by security.

[ScottGem]

BJs, does this, Best Buy does it. Lots of "big box" stores do it. What's the big deal? You go from the register to the door, so why put your receipt away if you know it will be checked?

If you don't show it and try to bypass the check, you may be detained, which is within the store's rights, while they do a thorough check. Sounds t me like that would be a MUCH bigger hassle then holding the receipt out until you are outside the store.

[letmetellu]

I don't understand just why they need to see my receipt at all, most of the places that I go to that does it does not do a good job of checking for stolen merchandise, if that is what they are looking for. All they do is make a mark through my receipt. I have talked to people that work at these stores and they say that they are trying to make sure that the checkers check all of the articles. Or they say is it so that you can not walk out with a bag of articles using a receipt that you got when you bought stuff earlier in the day.
What ever their reason I think there is a better way to do it than to make me feel like a crook every time I go to their store.

[ScottGem]

Excuse me. Shrinkage is currently one of the biggest expenses faced by many stores. Shrinkage costs YOU, ME and every honest shopper money as stores are forced to price items to cover the dishonest few.

If checking your receipt makes YOU feel like a crook, then you need to rethink your 'tude. I have NO problem holding out my receipt for the few steps from the register to the door. Checking my receipt doesn't make me feel like a crook and I don't know why anyone else would feel that way.

Do you feel like a terrorist when you take your shoes off to board a plane? Or do you feel that a necessary precaution is being taken for your safety? Its all in the 'tude, dude!

[letmetellu]

Excuse me. Shrinkage is currently one of the biggest expenses faced by many stores. Shrinkage costs YOU, ME and every honest shopper money as stores are forced to price items to cover the dishonest few.

If checking your receipt makes YOU feel like a crook, then you need to rethink your 'tude. I have NO problem holding out my receipt for the few steps from the register to the door. Checking my receipt doesn't make me feel like a crook and I don't know why anyone else would feel that way.

Do you feel like a terrorist when you take your shoes off to board a plane? Or do you feel that a necessary precaution is being taken for your safety? Its all in the 'tude, dude!

When they check me at the airport I feel as though they are looking for something, when they look at my receipt and make a mark on it they are not looking for anything, because they do not look at my merchandise.

[twinkiedooter]

Wal Mart is just doing their job and you should not be taken aback by their actions. I've seen many a shopper "forget" to place items from the bottom shelf of the shopping cart onto the conveyor belt and their "buddy" cashier not check and just let them skate out of the store with the free case of soda and dog food. There are a lot of shopper/cashier scams out there and they are finally getting hip to this practice. Just keep your receipt handy and put up with it or shop elsewhere if you can and skip Wally World altogether.

[Wondergirl]

Do you feel like a terrorist when you take your shoes off to board a plane?

Yes, I do. And I certainly don't look like one. No terrorist has ever been caught when he took off his shoes.

[Emland]

I worked for WalMart when the old man was still alive. I will share with you their little trade secret: WalMart believes everyone that walks into their store will steal from them if given the opportunity. That includes the staff.

WG: I also was a TSA screener (the first year in their existence). Would you be surprised to find out that the screeners aren't looking for terrorists, but something else?

[Wondergirl]

WG: I also was a TSA screener (the first year in their existence). Would you be surprised to find out that the screeners aren't looking for terrorists, but something else?

That wouldn't surprise me. So what were/are they looking for esp with old people in wheelchairs?

[JudyKayTee]

I worked for WalMart when the old man was still alive. I will share with you their little trade secret: WalMart believes everyone that walks into their store will steal from them if given the opportunity. That includes the staff.

WG: I also was a TSA screener (the first year in their existence). Would you be surprised to find out that the screeners aren't looking for terrorists, but something else?

I've looked into theft at many stores, "perhaps" one of them was WalMart - they think a lot of their shoppers and employees are stealing from them because they are.

So what are screeners looking for? Curious to hear -

[michealb]

It's not a crime and they aren't allowed to stop you from leaving without evidence that you committed a crime. The can however tell you that your not welcome back because you didn't stop and call the police when you do come back.

I suggest you don't shop in stores that check your bags. If more people stop shopping at stores that do this then less stores will do it.

[Curlyben]

Please remember that NO theft has occurred until you leave the stores' premisses, so you can happily tell the receipt checker to go away.
If they detain you, you have every right to sue them for false imprisonment, as you are going about your lawful business.

What happened about being INNOCENT until proven GUILTY??

Surely if there has been a mistake at the checkout this is a staff training issue and not one that should concern you, their customer.
Now is this check more concerned with detecting fraudulent transaction from their own staff under the guise of customer service.
Now where is the service to me, the customer, when I'm stopped to account for everything that I have carefully packed in bags, into my trolley for loading into my car.

Have a read of these as they prove very interesting:
Best Buy Receipt Check - die.net
Father Dan: No, You CANNOT Check My Receipt. And They Shouldn't Check Yours.
Receipt Checks -- You Can Say 'No' - The Checkout
You may not see my receipt. - a thaumaturgical compendium

[Wondergirl]

If there is no merchandise between the checkout and the exit doors and if larger items on the cart's lower racks have been tagged with purchase stickers, why should the receipt have to be checked?

What about people hiding unpaid-for merchandise in pockets and purses? Shouldn't we have to empty those out too to prove we aren't stealing anything??

I've never been inside a WalMart in my life, and will never shop there.

[hossbonnam]

The best stores have a customer funnel system , one way in and one way out. I think toys are us and Lowe's are like this.

My dad told me that I should just show the receipt or they could prosecute me based on my reluctancy to prove my innocence.

I think the next time I go shopping Im going to hand them 50 old receipts mixed in for them to sort... lol

[ScottGem]

They can't prosecute you unless you commit a crime and not showing your receipt is not a crime. However, they can detain you on suspicion. Is that really worth it? If you give them old receipts you don't think they won't suspect you are trying to steal something?

At worst having to show your recipt is a MINOR annoyance. But you seem to want to make it a major hassle.

[JudyKayTee]

They can't prosecute you unless you commit a crime and not showing your receipt is not a crime. However, they can detain you on suspicion. Is that really worth it? If you give them old receipts you don't think they won't suspect you are trying to steal something?

At worst having to show your recipt is a MINOR annoyance. But you seem to want to make it a major hassle.

I agree and don't understand the necessity to make a big deal out of this. Eventually consumers have to pay for the time spent arguing with customers at the front door.

I didn't know WalMart checks receipts and when I was there, trundling toward the door, carrying a purse the size of Rhode Island, wearing a parka with about 12 pockets, I stood and shuffled through just about everything before I found it.

I have no problem if that is their policy but I think it should be their POSTED policy - something along the line that all packages and receipts are subject to comparison - and then shoppers can decide whether to shop there or not.

I think if you enter, shop and attempt to leave KNOWING THE POLICY you might leave your civil rights at the door - you are aware you will be asked to show a receipt when you leave and you accept those terms.

Just a thought -

[Fr_Chuck]

I will note that in some states you don't have to leave the store for it to be shoplifting, in some states you merely have to hide it in the store, and you can be stopped and arrested in the store, even in the isle where you are hiding it.

In other states you merely have to be between the cash register and the door.

And in other states you have to be out the door.

And of course you don't want that 80 year old greeter to jump off their walker and chase you down in the parking lot.

[JudyKayTee]

I will note that in some states you don't have to leave the store for it to be shoplifting, in some states you merely have to hide it in the store, and you can be stoped and arrested in the store, even in the isle where you are hiding it.

In other states you merely have to be between the cash register and the door.

And in other states you have to be out the door.

And of course you don't want that 80 year old greeter to jump off thier walker and chase you down in the parking lot.

I was in BJ's this afternoon and for the first time noticed they have a sign which says something about the store checking the receipts against the merchandise when customers leave - I never noticed it before and can't recall the exact wording but apparently they DO advise people on their way in.

[s_cianci]

So what's the big deal with showing them your receipt? Keep it handy after you leave the checkout line and head towards the door, since you know they're going to ask for it. It's part of loss prevention and the better a job they do of that, the less you pay for your things at WalMart. In the interest of keeping costs down I'll grin and bear it and gladly show them my receipt any time they want to see it.